Holy Ghost FC accused of cultic tendencies
Football players at Botswana Football outfit Holy Ghost FC are are crying foul of mistreatment this week, alleging they have been ensnared in a culture of coercion, where adherence to the norms of both the church and the football club is demanded regardless of the evident distress it causes. Rather than being a safe place to advance their careers, players depict the club as a place of torment with the lines between football operations and church being blurred.
Reports conveyed to this publication unveil claims of mistreatment and financial deprivation among players of the relegation threatened Holy Ghost FC. Allegations include breaches of contract and irregular payment practices, with players asserting that they have only received compensation twice since the league's inception last year, each payment being substantially below their agreed-upon salaries.
Furthermore, players have leveled accusations against certain individuals within the club's management, alleging the forgery of their signatures on contracts. This purported misconduct has been a recurrent issue, with former players reportedly voicing similar grievances. Despite these allegations, the team chairman and his committee have seemingly evaded accountability. The method by which these signatures are allegedly falsified remains a mystery, but it underscores a troubling trend that is occuring at the Mmopane outfit.
In addition to their other concerns, the players also say that the club does not take their welfare seriously. They describe a situation where injured players are told to attend church, where the pastor - who is also the club owner - will pray for their injuries. This often drags on for an extended period of time. They also say that two days before each league match, the whole team is forced to attend deliverance prayers, with the aim of praying for better results.
The players say that they often go for days without seeing the chairman Thapelo Otimile, especially when they raise concerns about not being paid. They say that the church elders will block them from confronting the pastor, telling them it is a sin to do so. They say they are made to believe that everything is okay, but in reality, they are living in a bad situation and the outside world has no idea what they are going through.
“When we ask about our salaries, they always tell us that they haven't received the grants. When we get paid once in five months, it's usually less than half of our salaries. They extort us, telling us we have to win the next match or we won't get paid. It's a really difficult situation to be in, and we're not sure what to do. We just want to play football, but the environment at this club is not what it should be. They call it a holy club, but it is not anything close to that,” source said.
“The situation in this club is like a family business, with the pastor getting the money from the club. There was even a conflict between the pastor and his brothers, who are running the team. They use the club's money to support their own lives, while we players are treated like congregation members. We're expected to play for free, and they make us feel like we should be grateful for the opportunity,” the source added.
An anonymous source close to the club has said that the club owes money to former players and coaches. The source claims that the chairman only makes payments when he is confronted by the sheriff's office. He cites few specific instances where this happened, during a match against VTM, and during other matches when the sheriff's office demanded payment. He mentioned that It seems that the club is not managing its finances responsibly and is only paying its debts when forced to do so otherwise they will tell you to pray.
An attempt to contact Holy Jack Ministries, the church led by Apostle Jackson Kgopolo, who is also the founder of Holy Ghost Club, was unsuccessful. The club's chairman, Thapelo Otimile, who is also the brother of Apostle Kgopolo, claimed to be in a meeting on Monday. On Tuesday, he said he would provide a contact for the publication, but then he stopped answering calls. It appears that the club is not interested in discussing the allegations
made by the players.
In response to the situation at Holy Ghost Football Club, the Botswana Football Union (FUB) has stated that while they are aware of the situation and what is going on, they are restricted from commenting on the issue due to the case being before the National Dispute Resolution Chamber (NDRC). The FUB stated that the NDRC is working to resolve the case as soon as possible, and that they will do everything they can to ensure that the case does not drag on for the sake of the players.
“Every league player should be paid monthly according to their contracts, as per club licensing requirements. Players who are injured should be treated by a medical doctor, and the club should take care of them. We will continue to speak out for player welfare, and we look forward to the outcome of this case,” FUB explains.